Maharashtra assembly polls: Mahayuti leads in 145 seats, MVA tottering at 49

Mumbai: The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in Maharashtra, and was leading in 145 of the 288 assembly seats, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi appeared stumbling, with its candidates leading in 45 seats, as per the early trends.

TV channels, however, said the Mahayuti was ahead in 193 seats and MVA in 89 constituencies, as counting of votes commenced Saturday morning in the November 20 elections.

As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 75 seats, Shiv Sena in 42 and NCP in 28 seats.

In the MVA, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates were leading in 19 seats, and Congress and and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 15 seats each.

Counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections began at 8 am Saturday, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019.

In the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies.

In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates.